Podcasts about Meritocracy

This week on Without A Country, Corinne Fisher opens with updates on two major pieces of New York legislation, then dives into the rise of AI-generated music after an artificial artist tops the charts, the death of another Central Park carriage horse, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's reported removal of women and Black officers from military promotion lists, the latest developments in the Karmelo Anthony–Austin Metcalf case (including Representative Jasmine Crockett's role in the public conversation around the case), the State Department's bizarre new partnership with the UFC as the Trump administration explores “fight diplomacy”, and final statements on Spencer Pratt's bid for mayor.00:00 Intro & Welcome03:30 Show Kickoff + Knicks 05:15 GASH Los Angeles Announcement07:00 CREEP Act Passes in New York07:45 Bill A-101 Fails Again12:55 Viewer Comments & Political Updates13:45 Bryant Park Knicks Watch Party Experience19:00 Trump's NYC Motorcade 19:45 Community Board 23:00 What Does a Borough President Actually Do?29:00 New Jersey Petition & Survivor Advocacy31:30 Trademark Law Follow-Up: Patagonia Explained34:45 Enemy of the State: AI Music Takes Over35:00 AI Artist IngaRose Hits the Charts40:00 Suno, Copyright, and the Future of Music46:30 Timbaland, AI, and Industry Backlash51:00 Patreon Shoutouts51:45 Cuties Corner: Splash the Search-and-Rescue Otter57:45 Animal Rights Corner58:15 Central Park Carriage Horse Dies01:07:00 Why NYC Still Has Horse-Drawn Carriages01:10:45 Pete Hegseth Removes Women & Black Officers From Promotion Lists01:20:00 DEI, Meritocracy, and Military Politics01:28:00 Colorado Governor Candidate Spotlight01:37:20 Karmelo Anthony vs. Austin Metcalf Case Explained01:44:45 Trial Evidence & Surveillance Video01:52:00 Self-Defense Claims Examined02:00:00 Race, Media Coverage & Public Reaction02:07:30 Jasmine Crockett Controversy02:12:55 UFC at the White House02:15:00 Trump, Dana White & Government Spending02:19:25 Supreme Court End-of-Term Cases02:20:45 Birthright Citizenship Case02:22:20 Trans Athletes & Women's Sports02:23:25 Independent Agencies & Federal Power02:26:00 Mail-In Ballots Case02:27:10 Temporary Protected Status (TPS) Challenge02:31:00 Immigration Policy & Deportations02:35:00 Los Angeles Politics & Spencer Pratt's Mayoral Run02:41:45 Election Fraud Claims & California Politics02:45:00 Final Thoughts02:48:00 OutroSUBSCRIBE TO THE PATREON:https://patreon.com/WithoutACountry?utm_medium=unknown&utm_source=join_link&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=copyLinkFOLLOW WITHOUT A COUNTRY ON IG: https://www.instagram.com/withoutacountrypodcast/FOLLOW CORINNE ON IG: https://www.instagram.com/philanthropygalFOLLOW MIKE ON IG: https://www.instagram.com/themharrington/FOLLOW ALONG:CREEP ACT explainedhttps://www.safehorizon.org/creep-act/CALL TO ACTION (please sign this petition for my friend/survivor Tess):https://www.change.org/p/demand-action-from-mayor-wayne-zitt-on-local-crime-issueENEMY OF THE STATE: IngaRose, an AI musicianhttps://www.forbes.com/sites/conormurray/2026/04/17/the-no-1-song-on-us-itunes-and-several-other-countries-is-ai-generated/Cuties CornerDICTATOR ARTICLE OF THE MONTH: https://www.goodgoodgood.co/articles/splash-search-and-rescue-otter?ref=readtangle.comCarriage Horseshttps://www.ibtimes.co.uk/carriage-horse-death-central-park-debate-1801930WACO MAILBAG/LOCAL NEWSPete Hegseth https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jun/03/pete-hegseth-navy-promotion-listCandidate for Gov of Colorado https://www.instagram.com/reel/DY-LdIYxQKX/ https://www.yahoo.com/news/politics/articles/maga-frontrunner-governor-refuses-many-204111697.htmlMAIN STORIES Karmelo Anthony/Austin Metcalfhttps://nypost.com/2026/06/10/us-news/jasmine-crockett-suggests-she-also-would-have-stabbed-austin-metcalf-in-stunning-defense-of-karmelo-anthony/UFC Cage Fight for Diplomacyhttps://nypost.com/2026/06/08/us-news/rubio-and-ufc-will-sign-deal-to-use-cage-fights-for-diplomacy/Supreme Court Cases Left Before Summer Vacationhttps://www.npr.org/2026/06/09/nx-s1-5847967/supreme-court-major-cases-left-2026GUUUURLNithya Raman's Campaign Sucked https://nypost.com/2026/06/04/us-news/the-problem-with-nithya-ramans-campaign-perfectly-captured-in-election-night-party-photos/Trump Says California is Rigging Elections (Spencer Pratt is a sore loser) https://time.com/article/2026/06/07/la-mayor-results-california-election-rigged-trump/&https://abcnews.com/Politics/trump-accuses-california-democrats-evidence-steal-elections/story?id=133578982#WithoutACountry #CorinneFisher #Politics #SpencerPratt #Trump #Knicks #NewYorkCity #NewsPodcast #PoliticalCommentary #karmeloanthony #austinmetcalf #petehegseth #ufc #supremecourtSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Is everything you've been told about the American Dream a lie? In this explosive episode of Keeping it Real, Jillian Michaels sits down with democratic socialist author and professor Dr. Ben Burgis for a high-stakes, brutally honest clash over the economic frameworks controlling your life.

Mark Pincus is the creator behind Farmville and Words with Friends. He built Zynga into one of the biggest gaming companies in the world and helped shape the early era of social products on the internet. In this conversation, he breaks down how great founders spot winning ideas early, why most startups build the wrong thing, and how products become part of people's daily lives. He shares lessons from building Zynga, missing the opportunity behind social networking before Facebook took off, navigating platform risk during Zynga's explosive growth, and rebuilding his confidence after major failures. You'll learn how to test ideas faster, what separates products people try from products people love, how to avoid “death by compromise” as a founder, and why the best builders stay obsessed with what users actually want. + Members get the longer, extended version of this conversation, with additional content not included in the public release. Join Now. + +Pre-order Life at the Speed of Play: Launch Products People Love! ------ Timestamps: (00:00) The Principles of Great Products (01:34) How to Test if Your Idea Has "Heat" (04:02) Falling Out with His Father (06:14) Early Career Fails (09:27) The Presentation that Kicked him out of Bain (12:04) The Book of Life System for Making Strategic Decisions (17:56) Why Your Instincts are Good and Your Ideas are Bad (22:29) Copying is the Key to Great Product Design (23:22) System for Building Great Products (24:05) How to Use "Proven Better New" to Build Ideas (27:39) Why Deconstruction Leads to Better Products (29:33) All Founders Go Through This (35:14) How Zynga Changed Social Gaming (37:25) Pitching Zynga to Steve Jobs (40:36) The Fatal Mistake Founders Make (41:24) The Fight Between Peter Thiel and Sequoia (43:03) The Explosion of Farmville (45:45) Zynga's Near-Death Experience on Facebook (48:36) Why Failure Machines Reveal Your Best Ideas (49:28) The Thing that Almost Killed Words with Friends (53:05) Why the Minimum Viable Product Approach is Hurting You (54:03) Building Fast is More Important than Building Right (56:19) How Zynga Missed Their Instagram Moment (58:50) Your Company Should Be a Democratic Dictatorship (1:02:25) How to Build a Meritocracy in Your Company (1:03:44) Jeff Bezos' Invaluable Management Trick (1:05:25) Bezos Hack: Scaling Leadership with Tech Assistants ------ Newsletter: The Brain Food newsletter delivers actionable insights and thoughtful ideas every Sunday. It takes 5 minutes to read, and it's completely free. Learn more and sign up at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠fs.blog/newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ------ Follow Shane Parrish: X: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://x.com/shaneparrish⁠ Insta: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/farnamstreet/⁠ LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/shane-parrish-050a2183/⁠ Follow Mark Pincus LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markpincus/ X: https://x.com/markpinc ------ Thank you to the sponsors for this episode: +CoinShares: Delivering Reason to Digital Asset Investing. ⁠https://coinshares.com/⁠ +Granola AI, The AI notepad for people in back-to-back meetings: https://www.granola.ai/shane Check out the Granola Notes HeyGen is a message-first AI video platform that helps people and AI agents turn ideas into professional video in minutes. Try for free at https://www.heygen.com/ Join the salty rebellion: https://drinklmnt.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dr. James Beckett shares (very poor, apologies!) audio from a wide-ranging hobby dinner conversation at the Watters Creek Show discussing how to broaden sports card collecting across race, gender, and socioeconomic lines by “planting seeds” through outreach and welcoming environments. The group notes increased diversity and more female collectors, considers barriers like storage space, access, and rising prices, and points to entry points such as affordable retail products, low-cost packs, and Panini soccer stickers. They debate how breaks, allocations, and day-one FOMO affect affordability and wax pricing, and highlight direct-to-consumer models like Upper Deck ePack and on-demand platforms such as Whatnot. The conversation also contrasts the magic of blind pack opening with deterministic buying, touches on complete sets as a low-cost onramp for kids, and mentions growing athlete participation in collecting.   00:33 Growing a Diverse Collector Base 03:19 Meritocracy and Inclusion 03:41 Global Hobby Seed Planting 05:48 Prices and Entry Barriers 07:31 Stickers and Cheap Entry 08:40 Breaks and Staircase Strategy 10:26 Breaker Economics and FOMO 13:09 ePack and On Demand Buying 13:59 Is Convenience Killing Magic 15:39 Complete Sets and Kid Collecting      

SummaryClayton Cuteri joins Bruce Colero on the Be Great podcast for a wide-open, nearly two-hour conversation about the knowledge the elite have always guarded and why good people staying broke and powerless is no accident. It opens with how the Rothschilds quietly funded both sides of the Napoleonic Wars, walked away owning the bond market, and went on to shape the Federal Reserve and the IMF. From there, it moves into the two real levers of change on this planet: money and political power.The second half goes deep on the spiritual layer. The Bhagavad Gita and the divine versus demonic path. The Gospel of Thomas, found in 1945, is older than the Bible. How the text was changed over 1,600 years, and why Clayton believes a spiritual awakening is already underway. Clayton also shares his own arc from a software engineer, $10,000 in debt, to a millionaire in 22 months.Video of The PodcastWatch HereCampaign Websitehttps://writeincuteri.comClayton's NewsletterJoin HereClayton's BookPurchase HereClayton's Social Media LinkTree | Instagram | X (Twitter) | YouTube | FaceBook | RumbleTimecodes00:00 - Intro: How Rothschilds Funded Both Sides 01:15 - Defining Success and Your Why 05:09 - The Elites and Indigo Education 09:33 - Why Fear Comes From Not Knowing 16:49 - Knowledge Is Power: Money, Politics 22:17 - $10K Debt to Millionaire 33:58 - The Candle and the Blue Rug 42:10 - A Spiritual War, Not Political 01:05:02 - Books Are Speed Limit Signs01:22:34 - Who Really Wrote Your History01:36:20 - Is a Spiritual Awakening Coming?Intro/Outro Music Producer: Don Kin Instagram | Spotify Super grateful for this guy ^Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/traveling-to-consciousness-with-clayton-cuteri--6765271/support.Listen to the Podcast AD-FREE HERE for $4.95/monSign Up for my Newsletter HEREALL Indigo Education Podcasts HEREMy Book: The Secret Teachings of Jesus HEREOfficial Traveling to Consciousness Website HERE

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Benin and Owo Kingdoms- footnote overviewReference: Nigeria's Hidden Kingdoms Eze Chukwuemeka OkaforFeedback : blackgirlcouch@gmail.com (audio/written)Tumblr: blackgirlcouchYoutube: ChristinaBCGInstagram: @blackgirlcouch

Peter Berkowitz examines Harvey Mansfield's assessment of Harvard's decline. They discuss how grade inflation, political agendas, and the abandonment of meritocracy have replaced the university's commitment to genuine intellectual excellence. (3/16)11920 SC

“As recently as the mid-seventies, under 5% of Ivy Leaguers are headed to Wall Street. It's actually not that attractive. But as Wall Street's deregulated, it changes the incentive structure — it makes it much more profitable and demands this huge labor force.” — Dylan Gottlieb They stalked the sidewalks of Manhattan in button-down shirts embroidered with the names of investment banks. They jogged. They drank Beaujolais Nouveau. They gentrified neighborhoods. They were the Yuppies — and with the Boston-based Dylan Gottlieb, they've found their young urban professional biographer. In Yuppies: The Bankers, Lawyers, Joggers, and Gourmands Who Conquered New York, Gottlieb offers both a social history of financialization and a collective biography of the professional class that came of age in the Reagan years. Rather than a passing 1980s stereotype, Gottlieb argues that the Yuppie is a phenomenon that remade the American economy, city, and political class. As recently as the mid-1970s, under 5 percent of Ivy League graduates went to Wall Street. A decade of deregulation later, banks were recruiting a third of graduating classes from top universities. The sweatshop of the meritocracy was born. Most of us are still sweating. Five Takeaways •       From Yippie to Yuppie: The Word's Origins: Yuppie resonates with Yippie — the iconographic late-sixties radicals of the New Left, for whom Jerry Rubin was the signifier. The word first appeared in a Chicago alt-weekly in the late 1970s to describe highly educated young people trickling into gentrifying North Side neighbourhoods. It didn't achieve full cultural dominance until 1984, when it became the frame for supporters of Gary Hart's presidential campaign — a prototypical Yuppie candidate who stormed the Democratic primary and represented a new professional vanguard within the party. The word named something that was already happening. It didn't create it. •       The Incentive Structure Changed: Under 5% to One Third: As recently as the mid-1970s, under 5 percent of Ivy League graduates went to Wall Street. It was seen as the preserve of WASPy children who used family connections to get a bank job. By the mid-1980s, banks were recruiting roughly a third of graduating classes at top universities. What happened: deregulation made finance enormously more profitable; finance demanded a large educated labour force to do the work of putting finance at the centre of the American economy; and the most talented students — those who might have become poets or public servants — followed the money. At mid-century, the most prestigious option for a Princeton graduate was middle management at a Fortune 500 company. By 1985, it was Wall Street. •       Democratization and Distinction: The Double Movement: Gottlieb's central thesis is a double movement. The Yuppie era brought genuine diversification to America's elite: Jewish lawyers could now make partner at firms previously closed to them; women entered investment banks in numbers that would have been inconceivable in 1965; Black and Asian Americans got at least a foot in the door. This was new, and it mattered. Simultaneously, that newly diversified elite pulled further away from the rest of America, extracting profits from companies being financialized and rents from communities being gentrified. Democratization and distinction in constant tension. The elite became more diverse and more remote at the same time. •       The Pyramid to Cylinder Shift: AI is about to do to the Yuppie what the Yuppie did to everybody else. Gottlieb spoke recently to an HR representative at an investment bank — name and bank withheld — who said the firm was moving from a pyramid structure to a cylinder structure for employment. The wide base of entry-level workers that finance has depended on since the 1980s will shrink dramatically. Only the best and brightest will be selected; the rest will be automated. Gottlieb wrote about the era of the large pyramid — the exploited many at the bottom who hoped to reach the top. What happens to the professional class when that pyramid disappears? •       Are the Yuppies Becoming Socialists? A long-running trend: the pressures of the sweatshop of the meritocracy have embittered many members of the professional class. Academics work in conditions demonstrably worse than they were forty years ago. Doctors are evaluated on metrics that resemble those of factory workers. Journalists are precarious. The housing market in the cities where professionals cluster has made the cost of replicating their social status for their children prohibitive. And into this comes AI, threatening the entry-level pipeline. Gottlieb's question: will the investment bankers see their plight as similar to the Amazon warehouse worker's? Or will the edifice of meritocratic myth-making — the deep conviction that you're special — hold them back from that solidarity? About the Guest Dylan Gottlieb is Assistant Professor of History at Bentley University and co-host of the Who Makes Cents: A History of Capitalism podcast. He is the author of Yuppies: The Bankers, Lawyers, Joggers, and Gourmands Who Conquered New York (Harvard University Press, May 12, 2026), winner of the Herman E. Krooss Prize for Best Dissertation in Business History. He has written for the Washington Post, Gotham, the Journal of American History, and Public Seminar. References: •       Yuppies: The Bankers, Lawyers, Joggers, and Gourmands Who Conquered New York by Dylan Gottlieb (Harvard University Press, May 12, 2026). •       Noam Scheiber, Mutiny: The Rise and Revolt of a College-Educated Working Class — the companion book, referenced in the interview as directly relevant to Gottlieb's thesis. •       Barbara Ehrenreich — referenced by Gottlieb as the first to identify the downwardly mobile tranche of the professional class. •       Episode 2895: Glyn Morgan on the rise and fall of American Europe — the companion episode on how the professional class shaped American foreign policy. About Keen On America Nobody asks more awkward questions than the Anglo-American writer and filmmaker Andrew Keen. In Keen On America, Andrew brings his pointed Transatlantic wit to making sense of the United States — hosting daily interviews about the history and future of this now venerable Republic. With nearly 2,900 episodes since the show launched on TechCrunch in 2010, Keen On America is the most prolific intellectual interview show in the history of podcasting. WebsiteSubstackYouTubeAp...

Ryan and Kipp switch gears for a lighter Ask Me Anything episode where listeners intentionally submit "dumb questions" - and somehow the conversation turns surprisingly insightful. They cover teenage boys acting feral in public, conspiracy theories, men-only spaces, the psychology behind carrying all the groceries in one trip, and why guys constantly compete with each other. Along the way, they also dive into critical thinking, modern education, AI dependency, and the importance of having friends who can laugh with you through life's chaos. SHOW HIGHLIGHTS 00:00 - Introduction 01:35 - PLL lacrosse and weekend recap 04:27 - The "dumb questions" AMA begins 05:32 - Killing your ego and thinking well of yourself 13:24 - Why teenage boys go feral in public 17:20 - Moon landing, pyramids, and conspiracy theories 22:53 - Why figuring things out matters more than knowing 28:42 - Why women aren't in the Iron Council 33:49 - Why carrying all groceries in one trip feels amazing 39:45 - Guilty pleasure movies and songs 44:04 - "Hold my beer and watch this" explained 49:00 - The proper way to shake hands 55:10 - When hugs are appropriate 58:46 - Wrapping up and future AMA ideas 59:18 - Iron Council preview call 01:01:20 - Post-show wrap Battle Planners: Pick yours up today! Order Ryan's new book, The Masculinity Manifesto. For more information on the Iron Council brotherhood. Want maximum health, wealth, relationships, and abundance in your life? Sign up for our free course, 30 Days to Battle Ready  

051126 Scott Adams Show, Meritocracy vs Equity, Redistricting Wars, Iran Update, NATO, Starmer

Host Mickey Desai sits down with Su Joun, principal of Diversity at Workplace Consulting Group, to unpack the realities and misconceptions surrounding diversity, equity, and inclusion. Su reframes DEI not as a system of preferential treatment, but as a deliberate effort to remove barriers that prevent qualified individuals from accessing opportunity. Through practical examples and candid discussion, she challenges the idea that DEI undermines meritocracy, instead arguing that true meritocracy cannot exist without addressing systemic inequities. The conversation explores why DEI work remains necessary today, the impact of bias and micro-aggressions in everyday workplace dynamics, and how individuals (not just organizations) can take meaningful steps toward advocacy. Su also breaks down commonly misunderstood terms like equity vs. equality, psychological safety, and belonging, offering grounded, accessible definitions that cut through the noise. From amplifying overlooked voices in meetings to asking better questions about barriers, this episode delivers a pragmatic roadmap for anyone looking to foster inclusion in real, tangible ways. This episode is produced in partnership with the Georgia Interfaith Public Policy Center. Inclusion Catalyst invites you to become our next guest host. Learn more here: http://inclusioncatalyst.com/join-us-as-a-guest-host/

My guest today is Ross Greene. He is a clinical child psychologist. Greene's research has been extensively published in academic journals and he and the CPS model have been mentioned in popular media. He advocates against punitive, exclusionary disciplinary practices, including detention, suspension, expulsion, corporal punishment, restraint, and seclusion. The topic is his book The Kids Who Aren't Okay: The Urgent Case for Reimagining Support, Belonging, and Hope in Schools. In this episode of Trend Following Radio we discuss: American education system challenges Meeting kids where they are Meritocracy vs equity Behavioral issues and classroom disruption Nature vs nurture in learning Jump in! --- I'm MICHAEL COVEL, the host of TREND FOLLOWING RADIO, and I'm proud to have delivered 10+ million podcast listens since 2012. Investments, economics, psychology, politics, decision-making, human behavior, entrepreneurship and trend following are all passionately explored and debated on my show. To start? I'd like to give you a great piece of advice you can use in your life and trading journey… cut your losses! You will find much more about that philosophy here: https://www.trendfollowing.com/trend/ You can watch a free video here: https://www.trendfollowing.com/video/ Can't get enough of this episode? You can choose from my thousand plus episodes here: https://www.trendfollowing.com/podcast My social media platforms: Twitter: @covel Facebook: @trendfollowing LinkedIn: @covel Instagram: @mikecovel Hope you enjoy my never-ending podcast conversation!

The Carton Show pays tribute to the legendary New York Yankees radio voice John Sterling following his passing at 87. Craig and Big Mac discuss the upcoming Knicks and Sixers playoff series and the meritocracy shift within the Yankees organization regarding Anthony Volpe. Yankees manager Aaron Boone and reporter Kim Jones join the conversation to share their favorite memories of the iconic broadcaster. 01:40 - Knicks Sixers Playoff Preview 04:12 - Passing Of John Sterling 14:48 - Mocking Sixers Ticket Strategy 26:35 - Aaron Boone Honors Sterling 20:03 - Sterling's Iconic Home-Run Calls 34:07 - Kim Jones Honors Sterling 23:21 - Sterling's Final Radio Interview

My guest today is Ross Greene. He is a clinical child psychologist. Greene's research has been extensively published in academic journals and he and the CPS model have been mentioned in popular media. He advocates against punitive, exclusionary disciplinary practices, including detention, suspension, expulsion, corporal punishment, restraint, and seclusion. The topic is his book The Kids Who Aren't Okay: The Urgent Case for Reimagining Support, Belonging, and Hope in Schools. In this episode of Trend Following Radio we discuss: American education system challenges Meeting kids where they are Meritocracy vs equity Behavioral issues and classroom disruption Nature vs nurture in learning Jump in! --- I'm MICHAEL COVEL, the host of TREND FOLLOWING RADIO, and I'm proud to have delivered 10+ million podcast listens since 2012. Investments, economics, psychology, politics, decision-making, human behavior, entrepreneurship and trend following are all passionately explored and debated on my show. To start? I'd like to give you a great piece of advice you can use in your life and trading journey… cut your losses! You will find much more about that philosophy here: https://www.trendfollowing.com/trend/ You can watch a free video here: https://www.trendfollowing.com/video/ Can't get enough of this episode? You can choose from my thousand plus episodes here: https://www.trendfollowing.com/podcast My social media platforms: Twitter: @covel Facebook: @trendfollowing LinkedIn: @covel Instagram: @mikecovel Hope you enjoy my never-ending podcast conversation!

Send us Fan MailDEI has become a political litmus test, but the real fight is over something more basic: what a fair workplace actually looks like when you strip away slogans. We sit down with voices who've been inside the machine a former Fortune 500 Chief Diversity Officer and a skeptic who once championed the work and now calls parts of it harmful to debate whether diversity, equity, and inclusion can strengthen meritocracy or whether it inevitably slides into quotas, identity politics, and distrust.We get specific about what “equity” should mean in practice: access to opportunity, access to information, and removing hidden barriers in hiring and promotion systems. We also talk through civil rights law and protected classes, the unintended damage caused by diversity targets tied to executive pay, and why the “diversity hire” label can undercut the very people DEI is supposed to support. From land acknowledgments to microaggressions to psychological safety, we draw a hard line between real anti-discrimination work and performative rituals that feel good but change nothing.Then we pivot from workplace culture to raw politics: Janet Mills exits the Maine Senate primary, Graham Plattner's insurgent campaign gains steam, and we map how negative ads and culture war messaging are landing with Democrats, independents, and Republicans. We close with the Democratic Party's decision to keep its 2024 after action review locked up, and why that secrecy only fuels suspicion about Gaza politics, consultant money, and institutional self-protection.If you found yourself nodding along or getting annoyed, share the episode, subscribe, and leave a review. What's your definition of a fair system: equal rules, equal access, or something else entirely? Support the show

WILLIAM “BILL” COSTANZA retired from the Central Intelligence Agency as a Senior Operations Officer after 25 years of service.  He obtained a doctorate in Liberal Studies (DLS) from Georgetown University in 2012. His recent book is ‘Treason, Terrorism and Betrayal.”   A major security problem is how to deal with high-ranking governmental figures, such as Donald Trump, who allegedly took classified information, which was widely viewed as an illegal act.  Another example is Tulsi Gabbard, US National Intelligence Director, who reportedly has shared classified information with Vladimir Putin. As infiltration of the US Government becomes a greater threat, DC policymakers must develop a bipartisan agreement to adopt necessary reforms to be implemented and avoid political partisanship. The experts in this field are professional and not partisan operatives. The US moved from the Jacksonian Period of the Spoils System to a meritocracy based on a person's skills and loyalty to the Constitution.

As seen on Gutfeld! Greg talks about how Pete Hegseth is keeping up his promise to shake up the Pentagon. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Will Trump release more UFO files? DO THEY LIVE AMONG US? (ahem) Allow me to introduce this hour by telling you Deroy Murdock and Senator Eric Schmitt will be joining us to talk through the news.

Can non-white people be racist? There's a correct answer to this question and a politically correct answer to this question. Also, did you hear about the brawl at Six Flags? The new owners are taking it seriously. Hooray for new ownership.

Masculinity is under attack, leaving an entire generation of boys and men without purpose, discipline, or direction. This episode examines the culture's war on boys and men and the growing crisis of character, leadership, and responsibility. In this episode of The P.A.S. Report Podcast, Professor Nick Giordano sits down with Benjamin Carey, host of the Byronic Heroes Podcast and President and Cofounder of Long Island Elite Football, to examine how traditional masculine virtues have been ridiculed, suppressed, and mislabeled as toxic. As society bashes strength, drive, and assertiveness, too many young men are being stripped of the tools they need to lead, succeed, and take responsibility. This conversation explores how culture and institutions helped create this crisis, why masculinity matters, and what fathers, coaches, and mentors must do to restore discipline, purpose, and leadership in the next generation. What You'll Learn How culture and institutions helped create the crisis facing boys and men  Why strength, drive, and assertiveness are not toxic when properly channeled  What fathers, coaches, and mentors must do to restore discipline and purpose  How sports and structured competition help build grounded, accountable young men  Why restoring masculine virtue is essential to leadership and social stability

Marcus Aurelius Anderson sits down with Peter Maguire — historian, author, surfer, black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and one of the most uncompromising truth-tellers working today. From firsthand accounts of the Khmer Rouge genocide to designing classified military watercraft, from the courtrooms of Nuremberg's legacy to the mat at Hickson Gracie's academy, Peter has lived the research most academics only read about. This conversation is raw, wide-ranging, and pulls no punches on history, accountability, power, and what it truly means to act with integrity. EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS [0:05:40] Peter reveals his family's deep connection to the Nuremberg Trials — his great-grandfather was a judge — and how that legacy drove him to travel to Cambodia in 1994 to document the Khmer Rouge genocide firsthand, at serious personal risk. [0:06:55] Peter describes entering a civil-war-era Cambodia with a $5,000 bounty on Western heads, collecting testimony from survivors, guards, and perpetrators at S-21 prison — and how the experience permanently shattered his faith in international human rights institutions. [0:17:00] The story of Peter's classified military boat project: how a team of surfers and civilians earned three sole-source government contracts and passed all military testing, only to watch their vision get dismantled by the military-industrial complex — all while simultaneously writing op-eds critical of U.S. prisoner policy. [1:17:01] Peter opens up about watching Hickson Gracie's Parkinson's diagnosis unfold, the emotional difficulty of co-writing that book, and what Hickson's profound acceptance of his condition reveals about the nature of the ultimate fight. [2:24:31] Peter describes founding the Fainting Robin Foundation — an organization that steps in when governments and legal systems fail — including helping veterans denied cancer treatment, conducting civilian evacuations in Ukraine, and tracking down a murderer in Cambodia. Peter Maguire is a historian, author, martial artist, and adventurer whose work sits at the intersection of war, justice, and lived experience. He holds a PhD and wrote his dissertation under Brigadier General Telford Taylor, the chief prosecutor at the Nuremberg Trials. His books include Law and War: An American Story, Facing Death in Cambodia, Thai Stick: Surfers, Scammers, and the Untold Story of the Marijuana Trade, and two books co-authored with Hickson Gracie. Peter spent years in post-genocide Cambodia documenting atrocities, interviewing survivors and perpetrators at S-21 prison, and working on MIA/POW investigations. He also designed a military watercraft that received U.S. government contracts before being co-opted by bureaucracy. A black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu under Hickson Gracie's lineage, he is the founder of the Fainting Robin Foundation, which provides investigative and legal support to those failed by conventional systems. He publishes independently on Substack at Sour Milk. Learn more about the gift of Adversity and my mission to help my fellow humans create a better world by heading to www.marcusaureliusanderson.com. There you can take action by joining my ANV inner circle to get exclusive content and information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Send us Fan MailIs engineering really a meritocracy?We're taught that hard work, strong performance, and clear metrics determine who advances. But what if the system isn't as objective as it seems?In this episode of ENGINEERING CH∆NGE®, I break down how “merit” is often interpreted, or even manufactured, not measured and how the systems we trust to evaluate performance can actully distort it.In this episode: Why performance without context is incomplete and often misinterpreted.How shifting standards and uneven scrutiny reshape who advances.What happens when metrics become targets and start driving behavior instead of reflecting impact.Through real-world examples - from internship decisions to NSF review panels - this episode reveals how evaluation systems can manufacture merit instead of measure it.If you've ever questioned how decisions really get made in academia, engineering, or leadership, this conversation will change how you see performance, potential, and fairness.Ask yourself: Are we rewarding true impact, or just what's easiest to measure?Grab a latte and listen.If this conversation resonates with you, follow ENGINEERING CH∆NGE® and leave a five-star review to help more engineers and leaders join the conversation.Visit the ENGINEERING CH∆NGE® podcast website to learn more and to request a free copy of my new brief, Engineering for Society.Support the showENGINEERING CHΔNGE® is a registered trademark held by Dr. Yvette E. Pearson for producing and providing podcasts.

This week the guys discuss the YouTube influence in NASCAR, the solution to approval, and young guys making good.Find us:Instagram- @makinglapspodcastFacebook.com/makinglapspodcastmakinglapspodcast@gmail.com

The Morning Xtra with Tug and Los delivers conservative talk on the biggest political, cultural, and news stories of the day. Smart analysis, unapologetic opinions, and real conversations every weekday morning. Every weekday from 6a to 10a! The 8 o'clock hour is brought to you by Central Heating & Air, your Atlanta Carrier Experts. 770-GET-HEAT, Centralheat.com First thing to know: You want to make a deal? Now is the time Should we be surprised ABC News had a team to try to destroy Trump in 2016? Diversity doesn’t make us special; meritocracy does Atlanta's ONLY All Conservative News & Talk Station.: https://www.xtra1063.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week the ladies didn't read a book, they read the headlines. In this perfectly timed “fake book club” episode, the hosts showed up ready to connect, laugh, and unpack what's happening in the world. The episode leans into current events, and pop culture shaping the timeline, from global tensions and viral AI-generated propaganda circulating out of Iran and the US, to the cultural conversation sparked by Druski's Erika Kirk parody. They also touch on the recent Verzuz matchup  between Tyrese and Tank, insights from Jay-Z's recent interview with GQ, and much more. Just a reminder that this “book club” is really about showing up, staying curious, and having real conversations. Cheers!

What does authentic leadership mean amid rapid change and digital noise? On this week's episode of the Do Good to Leac Well podcast, I speak with Laura Paglia, CEO of the Canadian Forum for Financial Markets, who draws from her experience leading Canada's top financial markets think tank and decades in private practice to answer this question. Her answers challenge the myth that ethics are just slogans, showing how integrity and transparency must guide every decision, even with the toughest choices.We also explore how to bring together diverse perspectives and contentious viewpoints, leveraging empathy without sacrificing progress and accountability. She also shares how she keeps herself and her team resilient by focusing on controllable outcomes. We also have a candid discussion about the impacts and opportunities of AI ranging from increased efficiency to navigating job disruption. Laura emphasizes the importance of maintaining our critical thinking and curiosity, even as technology transforms the informational and decision-making landscape.The conversation closes with an empowering message focused on the importance of stepping back, not personalizing setbacks, and always bringing your best self to work and life. This is the key to transformational growth and success. Tune in for an insightful journey from personal values to organizational change.What You'll Learn- Lead by example: ethics and integrity must be lived, not just discussed.- Authenticity builds trust and effectiveness.- Mistakes are learning opportunities—be honest, be open.- Empathy, resilience, and perspective help navigate tough conversations and uncertainty.- Prepare for change (especially AI), but keep critical human insight at the forefront.- Value merit and reciprocity: invest in the people who uplift your organization.Podcast Timestamps(00:00) – Welcome to the Podcast(04:06) – What Are the Essential Leadership Qualities?(05:42) - Authentic Leadership & Integrity(10:03) - Building Ethical Cultures(13:34) – How Honesty, Diplomacy & Directness Can Co-exist(17:51) - Openness About Mistakes and Uncertainty(23:08) - Navigating Diverse Perspectives and Conflict(26:03) - Empathy in Leadership(31:38) - Personal and Organizational Resilience(38:31) - AI Impact & Adaptation(42:41) - Leading Through AI UncertaintyKEYWORDSPositive Leadership, Authenticity, Honesty, Ethics, Integrity, Organizational Culture, Communication, Transparency, Diplomacy, Emotional Intelligence, Listening, Empathy, Resilience, Adaptability, Self-Awareness, Continuous Learning, Meritocracy, Reciprocity, Teamwork, Empowerment, Critical Thinking, AI, Artificial Intelligence), Change Management, Personal Growth, Work-Life Balance, CEO Success

Most people think their options are simple: climb the corporate ladder or start something from scratch.But there's a third way.Together with Will Maunder-Taylor, we're excited to bring Unsung to life — a podcast exploring one of the most important (and overlooked) opportunities in Europe today: entrepreneurship through acquisition.Instead of starting from zero, what if you could buy and grow a small business that already works?In the first episode, Will sits down with Peppa Wise, sales leader at Multiverse, to unpack what actually drives performance — in startups, scaleups, and the kinds of businesses most people overlook.This episode goes deep on:Why talent and drive often beat experienceHow the best companies build true meritocraciesWhat separates high performers from everyone elseWhy sales is one of the fastest ways to change your trajectoryHow to hire, develop, and scale great teamsPeppa's story — from leading teams in her early 20s to helping scale one of Europe's top sales organisations — shows what happens when companies bet on potential, not just CVs.Whether you're building a startup, thinking about buying a business, or just questioning your path — this episode gives you a practical lens on what actually matters.Follow Unsung for more stories on building through acquisition.Timestamps(00:00) Introduction to Unsung and the guest(03:00) Peppa Wise's early career & Darktrace(05:00) Talent vs experience(15:00) Hiring frameworks & what actually matters(25:00) Building high-performance sales teams(35:00) Pipeline, metrics & operating cadence(45:00) Advice for founders and early-career operators

Is Canada still a “land of opportunity,” or has your success become a function of who your parents are?In this segment, Cara Stern and Mike Moffatt dive into the uncomfortable reality of meritocracy in Canada. While Boomers largely believe hard work still pays off, Millennials and Gen Z are seeing a different story. We break down the latest Ipsos polling data and Statistics Canada research that shows social mobility is eroding.From the "Housing Theory of Everything" to the widening gap between equal opportunity and equal outcomes, we explore why the rules of the game have changed, and what we need to fix to make Canada fair again.Chapters:00:00 Introduction00:46 Defining Meritocracy1:12 Is Canada a Meritocracy? 02:41 Measuring Meritocracy Income and Polls04:23 Generational Divide in Ipsos Poll05:54 Fairness Equal Opportunity vs Outcomes07:15 Economists on Eroding Social Mobility09:07 Increasing Distrust in Institutions & Distrust of Politicians09:47 Changing Minds Understanding New Realities11:13 Housing Crisis and Social Mobility12:45 The Role of Effort combined with EnvironmentResearch/links:Generational Disconnect In Canada Ipsos Equalities Index 2025 - A 31-country Global Advisor Studyhttps://www.ipsos.com/sites/default/files/ct/publication/documents/2025-08/generational-disconnect-in-Canada.pdfTrends in Intergenerational Income Mobility and Income Inequality in CanadaTrends in Intergenerational Income Mobility and Income Inequality in CanadaInternational Fairness Day 2024: Canada's commitment to fairness for every generation is more than an empty slogan – but it's not yet a realityhttps://www.if.org.uk/2024/11/18/international-fairness-day-2024-canadas-commitment-to-fairness-for-every-generation-is-more-than-an-empty-slogan-but-its-not-yet-a-reality/A retreat from opportunity: Is the Canadian dream still alive?https://thehub.ca/2025/11/10/deepdive-a-retreat-from-opportunity-is-the-canadian-dream-still-alive/Intergenerational income mobility in Canada: Research highlights from two recent studieshttps://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/36-28-0001/2023012/article/00001-eng.htmHosted by Mike Moffatt & Cara Stern & Sabrina MaddeauxProduced by Meredith MartinThis podcast is funded by the Neptis Foundation and brought to you by the Smart Prosperity Institute.

What if government cutbacks meant getting rid of the poor performers rather than the poorly connected? Isn't the idea of a MERITOCRACY built into the fundamental assumption about how a free people's government works?

William/Shani: GM; The Zodiac System: Ygraine Bonechewer, Hexblood Witch; Jeremy: Astra - Gepettin Warlock; Yare: Morgan Thompson - Human Paladin; Drev: Yngrid von Rider - Awakened Undead Rogue; Katie: Molly Malone Clemens - Human Investigator; -----Thanks to all of our supporters at patreon.com/fsfilms for making this possible!Especially our $25+ Donors:Drevian AlexanderL ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Send a textTwo ways to support the show and unlock bonus episodes:Download and subscribe to Ekho: ancientlanguage.com/ekho/Subscribe to New Humanists+ for bonus episodes: buzzsprout.com/1791279/subscribeWhat's the matter with meritocracy? Shouldn't college acceptances and jobs and awards be distributed on the basis of merit? The alternative, some sort of quota system, seems unjust and intolerable. In his book, Notes Toward the Definition of Culture, T.S. Eliot makes a case against meritocracy. This is the subject of Chapter Two: "The Class and the Elite." While admitting that every "honest man is vexed" to see people who have obtained positions "for which neither their character nor their intellect qualified them," Eliot argues that the doctrine of meritocracy is a radical position. Far from being a conservative or even moderate outlook, true meritocracy requires a total transformation of society, in which family and cultural life must be re-engineered by committees of elites. Eliot distinguishes between the old concept of aristocracy and the new concept of elites, categories we tend to confuse. He argues for the necessity of an upper class to maintain manners and standards and taste, which he says is required for the perpetuation of great art and high culture.T.S. Eliot's Notes Toward the Definition of Culture (in Christianity and Culture): https://bookshop.org/a/25626/9780156177351New Humanists episode on Chapter 1 of Notes Toward the Definition of Culture: https://newhumanists.buzzsprout.com/1791279/episodes/18764670-defining-culture-episode-cviiPaul Fussell's Class: https://bookshop.org/a/25626/9780671792251David Hicks's Norms & Nobility: https://bookshop.org/a/25626/9781538195352New Humanists is brought to you by the Ancient Language Institute: https://ancientlanguage.com/Links may have referral codes, which earn us a commission at no additional cost to you. We encourage you, when possible, to use Bookshop.org for your book purchases, an online bookstore which supports local bookstores.Music: Save Us Now by Shane Ivers - https://www.silvermansound.comSupport the show

How does reality television shape our politics and our opinions? This hour two reality TV scholars join us to discuss how reality TV helps us understand (or sometimes misunderstand) actual reality. GUESTS: Danielle Lindemann: Professor of Sociology at Lehigh University and a Visiting Professor in Gender and Sexuality Studies at Princeton University. She is also the author of the book True Story: What Reality TV Says About Us. Eunji Kim: Assistant Professor of Political Science at Columbia University and Faculty Affiliate at the Data Science Institute. Her new book is The American Mirage: How Reality TV Upholds the Myth of Meritocracy. Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter. Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show. The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode! Colin McEnroe and Dylan Reyes contributed to this show, which originally aired on July 24, 2025.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Commentator David Bouchier talks about the fall of meritocracy.

In an age of growing wealth disparities, politicians on both sides of the aisle are sounding the alarm about the fading American Dream. Yet despite all evidence to the contrary, many still view the United States as the land of opportunity. The American Mirage addresses this puzzle by exposing the stark reality of today's media landscape, revealing how popular entertainment media shapes politics and public opinion in an increasingly news-avoiding nation. Drawing on an eclectic array of original data, Dr. Eunji Kim demonstrates how, amid a dazzling array of media choices, many Americans simply are not consuming the news. Instead, millions flock to entertainment programs that showcase real-life success stories, such as American Idol, Shark Tank, and MasterChef. Dr. Kim examines how shows like these leave viewers confoundingly optimistic about the prospects of upward mobility, promoting a false narrative of rugged individualism and meritocracy that contradicts what is being reported in the news. By taking seriously what people casually watch every day, The American Mirage shows how rags-to-riches programs perpetuate the myth of the American Dream, glorifying the economic winners, fostering tolerance for income inequality, and dampening support for redistributive policies that could improve people's lives. Our guest is: Dr. Eunji Kim, who is an Assistant Professor of Political Science at Columbia University. As a political communication scholar, she primarily studies the impact of media content on mass attitudes and political behavior. She is the author of The American Mirage: How Reality TV Upholds the Myth of Meritocracy. Her research explores a range of topics, and has been published in many leading journals including the American Political Science Review, American Journal of Political Science, Journal of Politics, and Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Our host is: Dr. Christina Gessler, who is a writing coach and editor for academics. She is the creator and producer of the Academic Life podcast, and writes the show's newsletter at ChristinaGessler.Substack.com. Playlist for listeners: Understanding Disinformation 100 Years of Radio in South Africa You Have More Influence Than You Think Black Girls and How We Fail Them Live From The Underground Welcome to Academic Life, the podcast for your academic journey—and beyond! Please join us again to learn from more experts inside and outside the academy, and around the world. Missed any of the 300+ Academic Life episodes? Find them here. And thank you for listening! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

In an age of growing wealth disparities, politicians on both sides of the aisle are sounding the alarm about the fading American Dream. Yet despite all evidence to the contrary, many still view the United States as the land of opportunity. The American Mirage addresses this puzzle by exposing the stark reality of today's media landscape, revealing how popular entertainment media shapes politics and public opinion in an increasingly news-avoiding nation. Drawing on an eclectic array of original data, Dr. Eunji Kim demonstrates how, amid a dazzling array of media choices, many Americans simply are not consuming the news. Instead, millions flock to entertainment programs that showcase real-life success stories, such as American Idol, Shark Tank, and MasterChef. Dr. Kim examines how shows like these leave viewers confoundingly optimistic about the prospects of upward mobility, promoting a false narrative of rugged individualism and meritocracy that contradicts what is being reported in the news. By taking seriously what people casually watch every day, The American Mirage shows how rags-to-riches programs perpetuate the myth of the American Dream, glorifying the economic winners, fostering tolerance for income inequality, and dampening support for redistributive policies that could improve people's lives. Our guest is: Dr. Eunji Kim, who is an Assistant Professor of Political Science at Columbia University. As a political communication scholar, she primarily studies the impact of media content on mass attitudes and political behavior. She is the author of The American Mirage: How Reality TV Upholds the Myth of Meritocracy. Her research explores a range of topics, and has been published in many leading journals including the American Political Science Review, American Journal of Political Science, Journal of Politics, and Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Our host is: Dr. Christina Gessler, who is a writing coach and editor for academics. She is the creator and producer of the Academic Life podcast, and writes the show's newsletter at ChristinaGessler.Substack.com. Playlist for listeners: Understanding Disinformation 100 Years of Radio in South Africa You Have More Influence Than You Think Black Girls and How We Fail Them Live From The Underground Welcome to Academic Life, the podcast for your academic journey—and beyond! Please join us again to learn from more experts inside and outside the academy, and around the world. Missed any of the 300+ Academic Life episodes? Find them here. And thank you for listening! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/film

In an age of growing wealth disparities, politicians on both sides of the aisle are sounding the alarm about the fading American Dream. Yet despite all evidence to the contrary, many still view the United States as the land of opportunity. The American Mirage addresses this puzzle by exposing the stark reality of today's media landscape, revealing how popular entertainment media shapes politics and public opinion in an increasingly news-avoiding nation. Drawing on an eclectic array of original data, Dr. Eunji Kim demonstrates how, amid a dazzling array of media choices, many Americans simply are not consuming the news. Instead, millions flock to entertainment programs that showcase real-life success stories, such as American Idol, Shark Tank, and MasterChef. Dr. Kim examines how shows like these leave viewers confoundingly optimistic about the prospects of upward mobility, promoting a false narrative of rugged individualism and meritocracy that contradicts what is being reported in the news. By taking seriously what people casually watch every day, The American Mirage shows how rags-to-riches programs perpetuate the myth of the American Dream, glorifying the economic winners, fostering tolerance for income inequality, and dampening support for redistributive policies that could improve people's lives. Our guest is: Dr. Eunji Kim, who is an Assistant Professor of Political Science at Columbia University. As a political communication scholar, she primarily studies the impact of media content on mass attitudes and political behavior. She is the author of The American Mirage: How Reality TV Upholds the Myth of Meritocracy. Her research explores a range of topics, and has been published in many leading journals including the American Political Science Review, American Journal of Political Science, Journal of Politics, and Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Our host is: Dr. Christina Gessler, who is a writing coach and editor for academics. She is the creator and producer of the Academic Life podcast, and writes the show's newsletter at ChristinaGessler.Substack.com. Playlist for listeners: Understanding Disinformation 100 Years of Radio in South Africa You Have More Influence Than You Think Black Girls and How We Fail Them Live From The Underground Welcome to Academic Life, the podcast for your academic journey—and beyond! Please join us again to learn from more experts inside and outside the academy, and around the world. Missed any of the 300+ Academic Life episodes? Find them here. And thank you for listening! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/sociology

In an age of growing wealth disparities, politicians on both sides of the aisle are sounding the alarm about the fading American Dream. Yet despite all evidence to the contrary, many still view the United States as the land of opportunity. The American Mirage addresses this puzzle by exposing the stark reality of today's media landscape, revealing how popular entertainment media shapes politics and public opinion in an increasingly news-avoiding nation. Drawing on an eclectic array of original data, Dr. Eunji Kim demonstrates how, amid a dazzling array of media choices, many Americans simply are not consuming the news. Instead, millions flock to entertainment programs that showcase real-life success stories, such as American Idol, Shark Tank, and MasterChef. Dr. Kim examines how shows like these leave viewers confoundingly optimistic about the prospects of upward mobility, promoting a false narrative of rugged individualism and meritocracy that contradicts what is being reported in the news. By taking seriously what people casually watch every day, The American Mirage shows how rags-to-riches programs perpetuate the myth of the American Dream, glorifying the economic winners, fostering tolerance for income inequality, and dampening support for redistributive policies that could improve people's lives. Our guest is: Dr. Eunji Kim, who is an Assistant Professor of Political Science at Columbia University. As a political communication scholar, she primarily studies the impact of media content on mass attitudes and political behavior. She is the author of The American Mirage: How Reality TV Upholds the Myth of Meritocracy. Her research explores a range of topics, and has been published in many leading journals including the American Political Science Review, American Journal of Political Science, Journal of Politics, and Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Our host is: Dr. Christina Gessler, who is a writing coach and editor for academics. She is the creator and producer of the Academic Life podcast, and writes the show's newsletter at ChristinaGessler.Substack.com. Playlist for listeners: Understanding Disinformation 100 Years of Radio in South Africa You Have More Influence Than You Think Black Girls and How We Fail Them Live From The Underground Welcome to Academic Life, the podcast for your academic journey—and beyond! Please join us again to learn from more experts inside and outside the academy, and around the world. Missed any of the 300+ Academic Life episodes? Find them here. And thank you for listening!

In an age of growing wealth disparities, politicians on both sides of the aisle are sounding the alarm about the fading American Dream. Yet despite all evidence to the contrary, many still view the United States as the land of opportunity. The American Mirage addresses this puzzle by exposing the stark reality of today's media landscape, revealing how popular entertainment media shapes politics and public opinion in an increasingly news-avoiding nation. Drawing on an eclectic array of original data, Dr. Eunji Kim demonstrates how, amid a dazzling array of media choices, many Americans simply are not consuming the news. Instead, millions flock to entertainment programs that showcase real-life success stories, such as American Idol, Shark Tank, and MasterChef. Dr. Kim examines how shows like these leave viewers confoundingly optimistic about the prospects of upward mobility, promoting a false narrative of rugged individualism and meritocracy that contradicts what is being reported in the news. By taking seriously what people casually watch every day, The American Mirage shows how rags-to-riches programs perpetuate the myth of the American Dream, glorifying the economic winners, fostering tolerance for income inequality, and dampening support for redistributive policies that could improve people's lives. Our guest is: Dr. Eunji Kim, who is an Assistant Professor of Political Science at Columbia University. As a political communication scholar, she primarily studies the impact of media content on mass attitudes and political behavior. She is the author of The American Mirage: How Reality TV Upholds the Myth of Meritocracy. Her research explores a range of topics, and has been published in many leading journals including the American Political Science Review, American Journal of Political Science, Journal of Politics, and Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Our host is: Dr. Christina Gessler, who is a writing coach and editor for academics. She is the creator and producer of the Academic Life podcast, and writes the show's newsletter at ChristinaGessler.Substack.com. Playlist for listeners: Understanding Disinformation 100 Years of Radio in South Africa You Have More Influence Than You Think Black Girls and How We Fail Them Live From The Underground Welcome to Academic Life, the podcast for your academic journey—and beyond! Please join us again to learn from more experts inside and outside the academy, and around the world. Missed any of the 300+ Academic Life episodes? Find them here. And thank you for listening! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/academic-life

In an age of growing wealth disparities, politicians on both sides of the aisle are sounding the alarm about the fading American Dream. Yet despite all evidence to the contrary, many still view the United States as the land of opportunity. The American Mirage addresses this puzzle by exposing the stark reality of today's media landscape, revealing how popular entertainment media shapes politics and public opinion in an increasingly news-avoiding nation. Drawing on an eclectic array of original data, Dr. Eunji Kim demonstrates how, amid a dazzling array of media choices, many Americans simply are not consuming the news. Instead, millions flock to entertainment programs that showcase real-life success stories, such as American Idol, Shark Tank, and MasterChef. Dr. Kim examines how shows like these leave viewers confoundingly optimistic about the prospects of upward mobility, promoting a false narrative of rugged individualism and meritocracy that contradicts what is being reported in the news. By taking seriously what people casually watch every day, The American Mirage shows how rags-to-riches programs perpetuate the myth of the American Dream, glorifying the economic winners, fostering tolerance for income inequality, and dampening support for redistributive policies that could improve people's lives. Our guest is: Dr. Eunji Kim, who is an Assistant Professor of Political Science at Columbia University. As a political communication scholar, she primarily studies the impact of media content on mass attitudes and political behavior. She is the author of The American Mirage: How Reality TV Upholds the Myth of Meritocracy. Her research explores a range of topics, and has been published in many leading journals including the American Political Science Review, American Journal of Political Science, Journal of Politics, and Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Our host is: Dr. Christina Gessler, who is a writing coach and editor for academics. She is the creator and producer of the Academic Life podcast, and writes the show's newsletter at ChristinaGessler.Substack.com. Playlist for listeners: Understanding Disinformation 100 Years of Radio in South Africa You Have More Influence Than You Think Black Girls and How We Fail Them Live From The Underground Welcome to Academic Life, the podcast for your academic journey—and beyond! Please join us again to learn from more experts inside and outside the academy, and around the world. Missed any of the 300+ Academic Life episodes? Find them here. And thank you for listening! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/politics-and-polemics

In an age of growing wealth disparities, politicians on both sides of the aisle are sounding the alarm about the fading American Dream. Yet despite all evidence to the contrary, many still view the United States as the land of opportunity. The American Mirage addresses this puzzle by exposing the stark reality of today's media landscape, revealing how popular entertainment media shapes politics and public opinion in an increasingly news-avoiding nation. Drawing on an eclectic array of original data, Dr. Eunji Kim demonstrates how, amid a dazzling array of media choices, many Americans simply are not consuming the news. Instead, millions flock to entertainment programs that showcase real-life success stories, such as American Idol, Shark Tank, and MasterChef. Dr. Kim examines how shows like these leave viewers confoundingly optimistic about the prospects of upward mobility, promoting a false narrative of rugged individualism and meritocracy that contradicts what is being reported in the news. By taking seriously what people casually watch every day, The American Mirage shows how rags-to-riches programs perpetuate the myth of the American Dream, glorifying the economic winners, fostering tolerance for income inequality, and dampening support for redistributive policies that could improve people's lives. Our guest is: Dr. Eunji Kim, who is an Assistant Professor of Political Science at Columbia University. As a political communication scholar, she primarily studies the impact of media content on mass attitudes and political behavior. She is the author of The American Mirage: How Reality TV Upholds the Myth of Meritocracy. Her research explores a range of topics, and has been published in many leading journals including the American Political Science Review, American Journal of Political Science, Journal of Politics, and Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Our host is: Dr. Christina Gessler, who is a writing coach and editor for academics. She is the creator and producer of the Academic Life podcast, and writes the show's newsletter at ChristinaGessler.Substack.com. Playlist for listeners: Understanding Disinformation 100 Years of Radio in South Africa You Have More Influence Than You Think Black Girls and How We Fail Them Live From The Underground Welcome to Academic Life, the podcast for your academic journey—and beyond! Please join us again to learn from more experts inside and outside the academy, and around the world. Missed any of the 300+ Academic Life episodes? Find them here. And thank you for listening! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/communications

SPONSORS: 1) CHEERS HEALTH: Same night out — way better morning with Cheers. For a limited time our listeners are getting 20% off their entire order by using code JULIAN at https://CheersHealth.com #Cheers #ad2 2) AMENTARA: www.amentara.com/go/JULIAN - Discount Code: JD22 for 22% off your FIRST order. 3) MIRACLE BRAND: Upgrade your sleep with Miracle Made! Go to https://trymiracle.com/JULIAN and use code JULIAN to save over 40% and get a free 3-piece towel set. JOIN PATREON FOR EARLY UNCENSORED EPISODE RELEASES: https://www.patreon.com/JulianDorey WATCH PART 1 HERE: https://open.spotify.com/episode/5sKoh7cHdis895qcuBZbgi?si=53q5FcjGQhe_mT27HqUVkQ (***TIMESTAMPS in description below) ~ Jesse Hamel is a former Air Force Lt. Colonel & AC-130 Gunship Combat Aviator. He is now CEO of Victus Technologies, a drone warfare company he founded while studying at MIT. JESSE's LINKS: X: https://x.com/jhMITgunship VICTUS: https://www.getvictus.ai/ FOLLOW JULIAN DOREY INSTAGRAM (Podcast): https://www.instagram.com/juliandoreypodcast/ INSTAGRAM (Personal): https://www.instagram.com/julianddorey/ X: https://twitter.com/julianddorey JULIAN YT CHANNELS - SUBSCRIBE to Julian Dorey Clips YT: https://www.youtube.com/@juliandoreyclips - SUBSCRIBE to Julian Dorey Daily YT: https://www.youtube.com/@JulianDoreyDaily - SUBSCRIBE to Best of JDP: https://www.youtube.com/@bestofJDP ****TIMESTAMPS**** 00:00 – Evolution of Drone Warfare & Predator Origins 09:06 – Early Drone Problems, Hellfire & Ukraine Drones 19:06 – Cheap Mass Drones, AI & GPS Battlefield Threats 39:03 – Autonomy, Jamming, Directed Energy & Why Jesse Retired 52:39 – Russia / China Tech Race & Broken Defense Innovation Cycle 1:03:46 – Bureaucracy vs Startups & Fixing Military Innovation 1:13:50 – MIT Lessons, Humility & Building Agile Companies 1:22:46 – Why Jesse Rejected Big Defense Contractors 1:28:21 – GPS Warfare, Spoofing & Victus Solutions 1:38:36 – China Drone Race & Balloon Threats 1:48:32 – China Deception & US Drone Weakness 1:59:23 – China Investment, Data War & Machine Dominance 2:10:40 – Underwater Drones, Fravor & Underwater UFOs 2:15:59 – Spiritual Reality, Faith & Modern Disconnection 2:24:24 – Combat, Faith, WW3, WW4 & Cultural Decline 2:41:36 – Meritocracy, DEI Aftermath & Future Workforce 2:43:52 – Jesse's Work CREDITS: - Host, Editor & Producer: Julian Dorey - COO, Producer & Editor: Alessi Allaman - https://www.youtube.com/@UCyLKzv5fKxGmVQg3cMJJzyQ - In-Studio Producer: Joey Deef - https://www.instagram.com/joeydeef/ Julian Dorey Podcast Episode 385 - Jesse Hamel Music by Artlist.io Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In a 2021 interview, Michael Sandel, author of the book The Tyranny of Merit argues that if merit can be understood as competence, a good thing to be clear, “The principle of meritocracy, simply put, says that if chances are equal, the winners deserve their winnings.” But as we grapple with meritocracy, or systems built around the idea that those who get ahead are deserving, he says, “What makes merit a kind of tyranny is the way it attributes deservingness to the successful.” How are we supposed to understand the great problems of our time: United States' incredible wealth and income disparities, child poverty, life expectancy gaps, infant mortality, student debt, or even incarceration rates through a lens of meritocracy? Sandel offers, “To rethink meritocracy requires, among other things, rethinking the mission and purpose of higher education.” But what about education inequality and the construction of affluent white suburban public schools as “Good Schools”, where the social and economic advantages of their proximity to wealth compound upward into higher property taxes, more funding, smaller class sizes, more course offerings, higher test scores and higher graduation rates?And that's a lens my guest today, Yong Zhao, Distinguished Professor of Educational Leadership & Policy Studies & Educational Psychology at the University of Kansas, wants to expand into redefining the purpose of K-12 education more broadly, from meritocracy to human interdependence.He's co-authored an open-access piece for the ECNU Review of Education by that name that you can search yourself or find in the show notes, and it's the focus of our conversation today. “[Meritocracy's] focus on ranking individuals according to flawed metrics fosters unhealthy competition, overlooks diverse human talents, fails to account for unequal starting points, and ultimately hundred both individual fulfillment AND societal progress,” they write, “We propose an alternative framework, the Human Interdependence Paradigm, which….emphasizes cultivating unique individual greatness, realizing [it] through applying it to solve meaningful real world problems for others, [and] fostering a sense of purpose and mutual reliance. The Human Interdependence Paradigm [for education] aims to create learning environments that promote collaboration, social intelligence, and ultimately, a more equitable and flourishing society.”You can email Prof. Zhao @ yongzhao.uo@gmail.comFrom Meritocracy to Human Interdependence: Redefining the Purpose of EducationThe Dark Side of Meritocracy, Noema Mag

This episode of The Sidebar Podcast moves fast and hits hard.From questioning the competence of the Trump administration to unpacking sports heartbreak, political contradictions, and cultural absurdities, the conversation bounces between humor and sharp critique. The episode touches on coaching shake-ups, systemic hypocrisy, viral language mishaps, and the rise of “Black Male Podcast Syndrome,” and examines how performance often replaces substance.As the conversation deepens, themes of meritocracy, celebrity collapse, and resistance come into focus — asking when it's time to stop tapping along and start bucking the system. The episode closes with rapid-fire hot topics, internet moments, and a final reminder that nothing exists in a vacuum.Unfiltered, fast-moving, and very Sidebar.0:00 — Intro1:48 — Royce2:54 — The Trump administration is really not the brightest7:46 — Harbaugh to the Giants15:20 — My heart goes out to the Bills15:42 — The SIN Act22:10 — “Fuck-up” phrases30:27 — Black Male Podcast Syndrome (tap dancing, Steven & Sir Nclecta Newton)52:00 — Meritocracy is out of control59:09 — Death of the megastar1:06:30 — QOTD: When is it time to buck the system?1:12:31 — Hot Topics1:16:31 — Lightskin machine1:20:00 — Outro

Jason L. Riley, senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute and one of the most incisive voices in today's debates over race and public policy, joins Rafael Mangual to discuss how the Left frames racial disparities to advance a victimhood mentality, rather than solutions rooted in responsibility, opportunity, and community empowerment.

This week, Nadia hosts solo while Rob is away, revisiting a powerful interview she and Rob recorded with Paolo Gaudiano. The conversation explores why equity and meritocracy are not opposites, but incomplete views of the same system and how leaders can move beyond ideology to design fair, high-performing organizations. Stick around as Nadia also shares a personal surprise at the end of the episode.Find season 5 episode transcripts here: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1bP3N6QYBG0UkzdRm5GwiFfoQLvGtIRrK?usp=sharing Connect with Paolo:https://aleria.techhttps://linkedin.com/in/pgaudianoMeasuring Inclusion: https://amazon.com/dp/178860606XMeritocracy (due out 6/9/26): https://www.amazon.com/dp/1788609433Paolo's TED speaker page: https://ted.com/speakers/paolo_gaudiano Connect with us: Visit www.nazconsultants.com to learn more about Dr. Nadia Butt's work in leadership, culture, and organizational effectiveness, and check out http://www.tekanoconsulting.com/ to explore Rob Hadley's approach to data-driven inclusive strategy. Send us your thoughts or topic ideas at inclusivecollectivepodcast@gmail.comFollow Inclusive Collective LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/inclusivecollective/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@inclusivecollectivepodcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/inclusivecollectivepodcast/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/InclusiveCollective/ Connect with Nadia: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nadianazbutt/ Connect with Rob: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rob-hadley-utah/

Are white millennial men becoming a “lost generation”?A widely shared essay in Compact magazine contends that white millennial men have borne an overlooked cost of the DEI era — facing stalled careers, closed doors, and deep vocational disillusionment. In this episode, we examine the article's claims and reflect on why this story has resonated so strongly. We discuss meritocracy, generational resentment, the spiritual danger of letting vocational injustice define our identity, and how the gospel speaks to disappointment and unfair systems.Chapters:(0:00) Introductions: The Lost Generation(4:40) A Listener's Story(12:05) Journalism, Academia, and Hollywood: The Evidence(20:00) Meritocracy, Resentment, and Generational Fallout(22:45) What the Gospel Offers in an Unfair World

**This episode was recorded before Victor Davis Hanson's December 30 medical operation** Whether it's some within the Minneapolis Somali community racking in millions of dollars from government grants for fraudulent businesses or severely unqualified illegal aliens obtaining commercial truck driving licenses, these groups were “categorized by officials as on the victimized, oppressed side of the lecture. And therefore, they were not completely audited. Because, if they had been audited, the cries of racism, nativism, etc., prejudice, bias would've been voiced. And people didn't want to be exposed to that,” argues Victor Davis Hanson on today's edition of “Victor Davis Hanson: In His Own Words.” These non-meritocratic DEI recipients are thrown into a self-perpetuating system that encourages them to continuously engage in illegal activity as they will never face consequences for their actions. When audits stop, deterrence dies—and corruption thrives. (00:00) Introduction to DEI Issues (00:56) Fraud and Exemptions in DEI (02:39) The Self-Perpetuating Cycle of Victimization (04:29) The Downfall of Meritocracy (05:23) The Future of DEI

Is capitalism a force of nature, or a human-made order that we have the power to shape? In this episode, Luigi and Bethany sit down with Sven Beckert, a Harvard historian and author of the new book A Global History of Capitalism, to tackle a question that seems basic but remains surprisingly difficult to answer: what exactly is capitalism?Beckert argues that capitalism is not defined simply by the existence of markets—which are found in all human societies—but rather by a specific economic logic of privately owned capital productively invested to produce more capital. He challenges the popular narrative that capitalism and the state are antithetical, suggesting instead that the state has been constitutive of capitalism throughout its history, from the colonization of the Americas to the industrial expansion of the 19th century.Beckert also argues that capitalism is fundamentally "undogmatic", pointing out that it has thrived under radically different political systems from the British Empire and the slave plantations of the Caribbean to modern liberal democracies and authoritarian city-states. Rather than existing in opposition to the state, does capitalism actually rely on state power to construct markets and enforce the expansion of its logic?  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

This week on Sinica, I speak with Zhong Na, a novelist and essayist whose new piece, "Murder House," appears in the inaugural issue of Equator — a striking new magazine devoted to longform writing that crosses borders, disciplines, and cultures. In January 2024, a young couple, both Tsinghua-educated Google engineers living in a $2.5 million Silicon Valley home, became the center of a tragedy that captivated Chinese social media far more than American outlets. Zhong Na explores how the case became a collective Rorschach test — a mirror held up to contemporary Chinese society, exposing cracks in the myths of meritocracy, the prestige of global tech firms, and shifting notions of gender, class, and the Chinese dream itself. We discuss the gendered reactions online, the dimming of America's appeal, the emotional costs of the immigrant success story, and the craft of writing about tragedy with compassion but without sentimentality.5:06 – How the story first reached Zhong Na, and the Luigi Mangione comparison 7:05 – Discovering she attended the same Chengdu high school as the alleged murderer Chen Liren 8:10 – The collaboration with Equator and Joan Didion's influence 10:30 – Education, class, and the cracks in China's meritocracy myth 16:01 – Tiger mothers vs. lying flat: two responses to a rigged system 19:12 – The pandemic and the dimming of the American dream 22:49 – Chinese men as perpetrators: immigrant stress and the loss of patriarchal privilege 25:56 – The gender war online: moral autopsy and victim-blaming 30:25 – The obsession with the ex-girlfriend and attraction to the accused 34:37 – The murder house, Chinese numerology, and the rise of Gen Z metaphysics 37:08 – Geopolitics, the China Initiative, and rethinking America as a destination 39:42 – Craft and moral compass: learning from Didion and Janet Malcolm 42:31 – Zhong Na's fiction: writing Chinese experiences without catering to Western expectationsPaying it forward: Gavin Jacobson and the editorial team at EquatorRecommendations: Zhong Na: Elsewhere by Yan Ge Kaiser: Made in Ethiopia, documentary by Xinyan Yu and Max Duncan (available on PBS)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.